Transfer Goals

Language learning encompasses speaking, listening, reading, writing and the communication we share with others. 

We believe that students develop literacy when they…

• Build and refine foundational skills.
• Are exposed to a variety of challenging and diverse texts.
• Communicate in a variety of formats.  
• Respond through purposeful articulation, with a critical lens. 
• Use feedback to guide consistent reflection and improvement.
• Make meaning in authentic, relevant, and personal ways. 
• Understand how meaning is conveyed in both their writing and the writing of others. 

Through our literacy program, students will:

• Engage with multi-forms of texts, communication and experiences.
• Support arguments with evidence.
• Use critical thinking to analyze and synthesize multi-forms of texts and communication.
• Express themselves visually, verbally, and through writing in various ways.
• Explore, investigate and research various topics using a variety of text types.

When students exit our program, they will independently be able to:

• Pursue a deeper understanding of themselves and the world by examining various texts and perspectives.
• Confidently and effectively communicate for a variety of audiences and purposes.
• Use critical thinking and research skills to question and synthesize information.
   

At AISR, we cultivate student proficiency in mathematics, preparing them to confidently transfer math learning to novel and real world problems.

We believe that students develop mathematical proficiency when they…

• Feel confident and comfortable to take risks
• Apply flexible thinking to solving problems
• Engage in productive struggle
• Recognize patterns and make connections
• Develop and apply foundational skills
• Use prior knowledge to engage with novel problems. 
• Communicate understanding and thinking in a variety of ways

 
Through our mathematics program, students will:

• Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
• Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
• Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
• Model with mathematics.
• Use appropriate tools strategically.
• Attend to precision. 
• Look for and make use of structure.
• Discover mathematical ideas through exploration and inquiry 

When students exit our program, they will independently be able to:

• Recognize the context of a situation and apply mathematical knowledge in order to confidently choose the most appropriate tool or pathway to solve problems.
• Observe data, recognize patterns, and make generalizations about those patterns.
• Reason and construct logical mathematical arguments and communicate their thinking with others.
   

We believe that students develop as informed, responsible social scientists when they:

• Develop an understanding of a complex world
• Think critically about information
• Recognize that the world is interdependent
• Have opportunities for personalized learning journeys
• Notice, identify and articulate passions
• Make educated and ethical decisions

Through our social studies program, students will:

• Develop questions
• Plan inquiries
• Apply disciplinary concepts
• Evaluate sources
• Use evidence
• Communicate conclusions
• Take action 
• Collaborate effectively

When students exit our program, they will independently be able to:

• Generate questions and pursue meaningful answers to solve problems and draw conclusions.
• Take informed stances and be open to changing their minds on classic and contemporary world issues.
• Analyze the authenticity and veracity of sources without bias.
• Consider and reflect upon multiple, diverse perspectives to become globally aware.
   

We believe science is simultaneously a dynamic body of knowledge, a style of thinking, and a methodology for collaboratively exploring the universe.

We believe that students develop scientific literacy when they:

• Embrace wonder
• Critically evaluate natural phenomena
• Develop understanding through disciplinary practices in a data driven, experiment rich environment
• Select and evaluate reliable sources of information
• Acknowledge bias in their own research and that of others
• Utilize information gathered to address real-world issues
• Recognize critical skepticism and data-driven evidence
• Continually commit to finding evidence to support evolving questions
• Apply a growth mindset while collecting evidence to support their explanations of phenomena

Through our science program, students will:

• Ask questions and define problems
• Develop and use models
• Plan and carry out investigations
• Analyze and interpret data
• Use mathematics and computational thinking
• Construct explanations and design solutions
• Engage in arguments from evidence
• Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information

When students exit our program, they will independently be able to:

• Design and conduct authentic scientific investigations in order to collect and analyze data.
• Communicate results of investigations and create models using claims, evidence, and reasoning.

We believe that students develop linguistic and cultural competency when they:

• Learn in a safe and supportive environment where they are comfortable taking risks
• Are frequently exposed to the target language, both inside and outside of school
• Acquire strategies to learn the language and communicate purposefully
• Make connections to their own culture and language
• Appreciate the value of diverse perspectives
• Collaborate with diverse learning partners
• Reflect on their learning and set goals for improvement
• Receive constructive feedback 

Through our World Languages program, students will:

• Interact primarily in the target language
• Participate in collaborative and interactive learning experiences
• Engage with authentic resources
• Have voice and choice in their learning
• Develop as open-minded and culturally sensitive global citizens

When students exit our program, they will independently be able to:

• Apply the target language to communicate purposefully in familiar and unfamiliar situations.
• Demonstrate intercultural competence by interacting in the language while making meaningful cultural comparisons and connections

We believe that students develop physical and health literacy when they:

• feel supported, safe, and included in their learning environment.
• actively participate in a variety of games, sports and activities.
• practice foundational motor skills and movement patterns.
• are nurtured in all aspects of their development through a whole-child approach.
• find the motivation and inspiration to challenge themselves in individual and team settings.
• engage in fun learning experiences.
• have opportunities for student choice.
• engage in positive social interactions and foster meaningful connections with others.
• use challenges and adversity as an opportunity for learning and growth.
• make connections between what they learn in class to life outside of school.

Through our physical education and health program, students will:

• develop and maintain lifelong healthy habits that contribute to an active and healthy lifestyle.
• recognize the value of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, and social interaction.
• apply and transfer foundational motor skills and movement patterns to a variety of sports, games and activities in school and beyond.
• exhibit responsible and respectful personal & social behavior in order to maintain positive relationships with self and others.
• make informed decisions to optimize life-long mental, physical and social wellness for self and others.
• demonstrate resilience and a positive mindset when faced with competition and challenges.
• strengthen peer relationships as they demonstrate sportsmanship and develop skills in communication and collaboration.
• receive feedback on their progress towards goals and provide feedback to others.

When students exit our program, they will independently be able to:

• Maintain and adapt life-long healthy habits for mental, physical, and social well being. 
• Demonstrate a growth mindset and resilience throughout life. 
• Establish positive and respectful relationships with self and others that are free of judgment.

Artistic literacy is the knowledge, understanding, and skills to engage authentically in the arts.

We believe that students develop artistic literacy when they:

• Actively engage in the creative processes: create, present, respond, and connect
• Feel safe and supported
• Are able to express their true selves
• Participate in an environment that nurtures, respects and encourages curiosity
• Have the opportunity to learn from mistakes
• Experience choice and voice in their learning
• Gain confidence through exploration, reflection, and feedback
• Develop an appreciation for the beauty and power of the arts
• Understand that process is as important as the product

Through our arts program, students will:

• Develop Craft as they learn to use and care for tools, materials, and space.
• Engage in artistic creation and persist when they encounter problems.
• Envision ideas and imagine possible next steps in making a piece
• Express ideas, feelings and personal connection through art
• Observe and listen closely to notice things that otherwise might not be seen or heard
• Reflect on one’s own work and working process 
• Analyze and interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
• Stretch beyond capacities and explore new opportunities
• Understand what it means to be part of an arts community through interaction
• Collaborate with others to perform and present art that reflects expressive intent

When students exit our program, they will independently be able to:

• Create and present art individually and collaboratively.
• Respond to art by analyzing and interpreting the artistic communication of others.

Design thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation and problem-solving.

We believe that students develop design thinking competencies when they:

• Regularly apply the design process to solve authentic problems 
• Have opportunities to learn from failure
• Develop creative confidence
• Use an inquiry stance
• Identify challenges and analyze problems 
• Gather information in a variety of formats
• Generate and critique potential solutions 
• Test and refine ideas
• Practice reflexivity
• Convey their ideas effectively

Through our design thinking program, students will:

• Navigate uncertainty and ambiguity in problem solving
• Collaborate and work together towards shared solutions
• Provide and apply constructive feedback to build and improve upon ideas
• Exercise curiosity and ask questions
• Seek to understand others’ viewpoints and perspectives
• Approach problems holistically, looking at a situation from multiple angles
• Use an interactive process to progress towards optimal solutions
• Discuss ideas without judgment; embrace wild ideas
• Adopt an experimental approach

When students exit our program, they will independently be able to:

• Engage in and aspire to solve the major societal and environmental challenges they will face.
• Apply design and innovative mindsets to solve complex problems and real world challenges in any industry.
• Play deliberately and learn continuously in a world of constant change and innovation.